GENEALOGY
410
GENEALOGY
true that the Hiphil form occurs in Gen., v and xi; it is
also true that the successive links of the genealogies in
these two chapters appear to exclude any intermedi-
ate generation. But this is only apparent. Unless it
be certain from other sources that the Hebrew word in
question signifies the begetting of an immediate off-
spring, Gen., V, 15, for instance, may just as well mean
that Slalaleel at the age of sixty-five begot the grand-
father of Jared as that he begot Jared immediately.
The same holds true of the other Patriarchs men-
tioned in the above two chapters. Nor can it be
urged that such an interpretation would destroy the
chronology of the Patriarchs; for the inspired writer
did not intend to transmit a chronology.
Prat in Diet, de la Bible; Knabenbauer in Hagen, Lexicon Biblicum (Paris, 1905) ; Pannier, Genealogice biblica cum monii- mentis ^Eqyptiorum et ChaldceoTum collatce (Lille, 1886); Brucker, La Chronologic des premiers ages de VhuvianiU in La Conlroeerse, 15 March, 15 May, 1886, pp. 375-93, 5-27; von Hummelauer, Comment, in Gen. (Freiburg, 1895), 572; Idem, Das vormosaische Priesterthum in Israel (Freiburg, 1899).
A. J. Maas.
Genealogy of Christ. — It is granted on all sides that the liililical j;rni-ulcigy of Christ implies a number of exegetical dilliculties; but rationalists have no solid reason for refusing to admit any of the attempted solutions, nor can we agree with those recent writers who have given up all hope of harmonizing the gene- alogies of Christ found in the First and Third Gospels. The true state of the question will become plain by studying the Biblical genealogies of Christ first separ- ately, then in juxtaposition, and finally in their re- lation to certain exceptions to their harmony.
(1) St. Matthew's Genealogy of Christ. — The gene- alogy of Christ according to the First Evangelist de- scends from Abraham through three series of fourteen members each; the first fourteen belong to the patriar- chal order, the second to the royal, and the third to that of private citizens. Matt., i, 17, shows that this arrangement was intended ; for the writer expressly states: "So all the generations, from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations. And from David to the transmigration of Babylon, are fourteen genera- tions: and from the transmigration of Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations."
First Series
Second Series
Third Series
1
1,
1.
Jechonias
?.
Roboam
2
Salathiel
3
Jacob
3,
Abia
3.
Zorobabel
4
Judas
4.
Asa
4.
Abiud
.5
Phares
5.
Josaphat
5.
Eliacim
B,
Esron
(i,
Joram
B.
Azor
7.
Aram
7.
Ozias
7.
Sadoc
K.
Aminadab
K,
Joatham
H.
Achim
9
Naasson
9.
Achaz
9.
Eliud
1(1.
Salmon
11).
Ezechias
10.
Eleazer
11
11.
Manasses
11.
Mathan
12.
Obed
12.
Anion
i:^.
Jacob
13.
Jesse
13.
Josias
13.
Joseph
14.
David
14.
Jechonias
14.
Jesus
The list of the First Evangelist omits certain mem-
bers in Christ's genealogy: (1) The writer gives only
three names for the time of tlie Egyptian exile (Esron,
Aram, and Aminadab), though the period lasted 215
or 430 years; this agrees with Gen., xv, 16, where God
promises to lead Israel back in the fourth generation.
But according to Gen., xv, 13, the stranger shall
afflict Israel for four hundred years. (2) The three
names Booz, Obed, and Jesse cover a period of 366
years. Omitting a number of other less probable
explanations, the difficulty is solved most easily by the
admission of a lacuna between Obed and Jesse. (3)
According to I Par., iii, 11-12, Ochozias, Joas, and
Amasias intervene between Joram and Azarias
(the Ozias of St. Matthew) ; these three names can-
not have been unknown to the Evangelist, nor can it
be supposed that they were omitted by transcribers,
for this conjecture would destroy the Evangelist's
computation of fourteen kings. (4) According to
I Par., iii, 15, Joakim intervenes between Josias
and Jechonias. We may waive the question whether
St. Matthew speaks of only one Jechonias or of
two persons bearing that name; nor need we state
here all the doubts and difficulties connected with
either answer. (5) St. Matthew places only nine links
between Zorobabel and St. Joseph for a period cover-
ing some 530 years, so that each generation must have
lasted more than 50 years. The genealogy as given in
St. Luke enumerates eighteen generations for the
same period, a number which harmonizes better with
the ordinary course of events. As to the omission
of members in genealogical lists see Genealogy.
(2) St. Luke's Genealogy of Christ. — The genealogy in Luke, iii, 23-38, ascends from Joseph to Adam or rather to God; this is the first striking difference be- tween the genealogies as presented in the First and Third Gospel. Another difference is found in their collocation: St. Matthew places his list at the begin- ning of his Gospel; St. Luke, at the beginning of the public life of Christ. The artificial character of St. Luke's genealogy may be seen in the following table: —
First Series
Second Series
Third Series
Fourth Series
1. Jesus
22
Salathiel
43. David
57.
Thare
2. Joseph
2.3
Neri
44. Jesse
58.
Nachor
3. Heli
24
Melchi
45. Obed
59
Sarug
4. Mathat
5
Addi
46. Booz
60
Ragau
5. Levi
26
Cosan
47. Salmon
61
Phaleg
6. Melchi
07
llelmadan
48. Naasson
62
Heber
7. Janne
28
Her
49. Aminadab
63
Sale
S. Joseph
29
Jesus
50. Aram
64
Cainan
9. Mathathias
30
Eliezer
51. Esron
65.
Arphaxad
10. Amos
31
Jorim
52. Phares
66
Sem
11. Nahum
32
Mathat
53. Juda.s
67.
Noc
12. Hesli
33.
Levi
54. Jacob
68.
Lamech
13. Nagge
34.
Simeon
55. Isaac
69.
Mathusale
14. Mahath
35.
Judas
56. Abraham
70.
Henoch
15. Mathathias
36.
Joseph
71.
Jared
16. Semei
37.
Jona
72.
Malaleel
17. Joseph
38.
Eliakim
73.
Cainan
18. Juda
.39.
Melea
74.
Henos
19. Joanna
40.
Menna
7.5.
Seth
20. Reza
41.
Mathatha
76.
Adam
21. Zorobabel
42.
Nathan
77.
God
The artificial structure of this list may be inferred
from the following peculiarities: it contains eleven
septenaries of names; three septenaries bring us from
Jesus to the Captivity; three, from the captivity to the
time of David; two, from David to Abraham; three
again from the time of Abraham to the creation of
man. St. Luke does not explicitly draw attention to
the artificial construction of his list, but this silence
does not prove that its recurring number of names
was not intended, at least in the Evangelist's source.
In St. Luke's genealogy, too, the names Jesse, Obed,
Booz, cover a period of 366 years; Aminadab, Arara,
Esron fill a gap of 430 (or 215) years, so that here
several names must have been omitted. In the fourth
series, which gives the names of the antediluvian and
postdiluvian patriarchs, Cainan has been inserted
according to the Septuagint reading; the Hebrew text
does not contain this name.
(3) Harmony betiveen St. Matthew's and St. Luke's Genealogy of Christ. — The fourth series of St. Luke's list covers the period between Abraham and the creation of man; St. Matthew does not touch upon this time, so that there can be no question of any harmony. The third series of St. Luke agrees name for name with the first of St. Matthew; only the order of names is inverted . In this section the genealogies are rather identical than merely harmonious. In the first and second series, St. Luke gives David's descendants through his son Nathan, while St. Matthew enumer- ates in his second and third series David's descendants
